Biafra Agitation: Why court refused Nnamdi Kanu’s fresh request for bail

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed his fresh application for bail, citing previous rulings and concerns about his potential flight risk.

Kanu, who has been in detention since June 2021, faces charges of treasonable felony and terrorism in relation to his role in the Biafra agitation movement.

Justice Binta Nyako, the presiding judge, ruled that there was no reason to grant Kanu bail, considering that he had previously jumped bail in 2017.

She also expressed concerns about the potential for violence in the South East region if Kanu were to be released.

The court did not find merit in Kanu’s argument that his deteriorating health required him to be transferred to a different facility or placed under house arrest.

During the proceedings, Nnamdi Kanu addressed the court from the dock, expressing concerns about his health and the lack of medical facilities at the Department of State Services (DSS) detention center.

He also alleged a conspiracy to allow him to die in custody and requested to be transferred to Kuje prison or placed under house arrest.

The judge, however, stated that she was not willing to transfer him to Kuje prison, citing security concerns and the escape of 15 terrorists from the facility in the past.

Instead, she asked Kanu to put his request for house arrest in writing.

Kanu also spoke about the recurring violence in the South East region, blaming it on his continued detention.

He vowed to bring an end to the violence if he were to be released and claimed that some criminal elements were hiding under the banner of IPOB to carry out nefarious activities.

He accused certain individuals in the government of being complicit in the insecurity and making money from it.

The Federal High Court’s decision to dismiss Nnamdi Kanu’s fresh application for bail has kept him in detention as his trial on charges of treasonable felony and terrorism continues.

The court’s ruling has been met with mixed reactions from supporters and critics of the Biafra agitation movement, with many continuing to debate the implications of the ongoing legal proceedings on the broader political landscape in Nigeria.